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This member ( @UnassumingOcherSpider0496 ) is reaching out asking the question above. Is there someone in this forum community willing to share a situation related to high red blood cell count prior to a sleep study? Thank you in advance!!

FYI The FMCSA is researching testing Commercial Truck Drivers for sleep apnea as part of their bi annual physical and pre-employment testing. Without a doubt there are many drivers who have untreated sleep apnea. While this can be burden on the trucking industry. it well help find drivers who are in need of treatment. It's just just one more way of getting your goods from place to place safely.

Hi Polite Apricot Squirrel,
That's been happening to me for months now, maybe even a year. And it's really tiresome, isn't it? Kind of like, waking up with a "no, not again" instead of "Yes! I'm alive!" After a number of remedies I tried which yielded no results, including acupuncture, homeopathy, guided imagery, and allergy testing to get allergens out of my diet, I did have a reprieve in the last week! I don't know if it will last, but I'll share what has worked for me. I asked my acupuncturist to work on my jaw joints and put needles there during our regular session, and I also had body work done to release tightness in my upper back. My thinking is that this was related to clenching. I do have a dental device for the apnea, which seems to work for that, but if there is tension in the jaws, it can't prevent clenching itself, it only prevents teeth from grinding against each other. In between acupuncture sessions, I also deeply massage the jaw joints before bed. Seems to work for me....fingers crossed! Hope something works for you!

DanM
+1 point
·
about 4 years
ago
Original Poster
Sleep
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Support Team

Hi PoliteApricotSquirrel. There is some research out there about headaches and sleep apnea, and morning headaches are a common complaint of patients with sleep apnea. I will have to do a little more looking to see how much of the research specifically addresses migraines. Of interest, this link to a publication on the NIH website discusses treatment of CPAP improving headaches in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22963547. There is also quite a bit of information linking jaw tension to headaches, and I have personally experienced this condition. I had not even considered jaw tension or that I might be grinding my teeth until my dentist mentioned I showed signs of teeth-grinding. Similar to GoodVioletCrow's experience, jaw exercises and facial massage helped. I'll see if I can find any specific information about migraines and sleep apnea or headache that might be interesting. Good luck, and I hope you can find some answers! Thanks for posting on the forum, and please let us know if you find anything that helps.

I apparently have Moderate sleep apnea and only when sleeping on my back. An orthodontist-made mouthpiece didn't help. I gave bipap a good try but finally discontinued it because of noise and mask issues. Do you know of any dental appliances or other therapies that actually work?

DanM
+1 point
·
about 4 years
ago
Original Poster
Sleep
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Support Team

Hi @suumessage. Was the mouthpiece from your orthodontist made specifically for sleep apnea? Oral appliances for sleep apnea are usually adjustable and must be titrated for each patient. Titration can sometimes take several visits. Regarding the noise and mask issues with bipap, are you willing to share more information? For example, was the machine noisy, or was the noise from the mask and airflow? What types of mask did you try? I ask because I once experienced a similar issue, and my noise turned out to be a defective machine. As for other therapies, these are the 2 most common. If you feel you have exhausted your options with both treatments, I encourage you to talk to your sleep physician about alternative treatments. There are other options for treating sleep apnea, but the appropriateness of each treatment is very specific to each patient's situation and relies on a qualified sleep physician familiar with your diagnosis and other overall health conditions to make a recommendation. Good luck!

The orthodontist's mouthpiece was supposed to be made specifically for sleep apnea. It was one piece plastic and not adjustable, though she did make me a second one that pushed the jaw a little more forward. The mouthpiece worked well for snoring but the sleep study result didn't change. I have read about more complicated and adjustable mouthpieces made by dentists, but I don't know if they work any better.

The bipap noise was from the air whooshing in and out. Sleeping pills didn't help and caused a bit of amnesia. I also read about appliances that attach to the nose, but my internist says that they're uncomfortable.

My sleep doctor has left town but I'm sure I can find another one, if necessary.

I think I may have a unique situation. I was diagnosed with OSA in 2000 and provided with a CPAP machine. I also suffer from anxeity, ADHD, and depression. I am 6' 1" and 275 lbs which is a rough bmi of 36. On top of all of those I also suck my thumb. Sounds crazy writing this out. I need to wear a full mask but have had a difficult time. Tring to go to sleep without sucking my thumb was very difficult and my ADHD would not let me forget that I had the mask touching my face. I was constantly fidigeting with the mask. I felt that I at least would get some, albiet poor sleep w/o the mask. After discussing this with my doctor in 2002 I received a UVPP. I later had surgery to correct my deviated septum. These did little to alleviate my symptoms. I have tried many masks but I have never worn it consistently. I am interested in the inspire implant but have concerns since it is such a new product. Any advice or suggestions?

DanM
+1 point
·
about 4 years
ago
Original Poster
Sleep
Enthusiast
Support Team

Hi @AlwaysTired. It sounds like you have faced many challenges throughout diagnosis and treatment, but good for you for exploring so many options! The fact that you are still attempting to find a solution is admirable, as it seems you are aware of the possible consequences of untreated OSA. Have you tried a nasal mask or nasal pillows with a chin strap, or did you go straight to a full face mask? The implant is rather new, and I do not have much experience with patients who have opted for this treatment option. I have heard good things from fellow sleep professionals who do have patients that have the device. A good place to start would be to talk to your sleep physician about the implant. I recommend that you print out information and actually take it to your next visit. You might also consider contacting the company or checking their website to see if there are providers in your area who are offering this treatment. Those providers would likely be able to talk to you about whether you are a good candidate for the implant and about success rates and possible side effects. Please keep us posted on your progress! There are probably many MyApnea.Org members who are interested in the implant. If any members have experience, please share if you feel so inclined!

DanM
+1 point
·
about 4 years
ago
Original Poster
Sleep
Enthusiast
Support Team

Thanks, @AlwaysTired. It would be great if you would consider sharing information you learn about the implant with other community members here at MyApnea.Org. Perhaps we can consider starting a new topic here on the forum.

Hello AlwaysTired, There is growing research on upper airway stimulators for sleep apnea (that is what I think you are referring to.) I have asked one of the leaders of the studies on this to prepare a summary for our members--hope we can have that to you soon. At this point, this treatment is mostly used in people who have failed CPAP and have moderate to severe sleep apnea. There are a few other characteristics that also are used to determine the likely benefit (such as the shape of the throat). I agree with Dan that this is something you should talk to your doctor about who can help make an initial assessment of whether this may be an appropriate treatment for you. Not all centers offer this treatment-so your doctor may need to refer you to a center that does this. Let us know how things work out for you!

Still looking for a connection between apnea and a deficit of oxygen in the blood as was indicated as being dangerously low in my blood tests. My primary care M.D. sent me to my initial sleep study for this. After much agony and actually abandoning my full-face mask and the APAP machine entirely; I finally found a nasal pillow mask that actually works for me. To check on my blood/oxygen ratio I purchased an oximeter and according to it my ratio is now normal. I still must get yet another blood test to confirm it.
I'm

DanM
+1 point
·
about 4 years
ago
Original Poster
Sleep
Enthusiast
Support Team

Hello @UnassumingOcherSpider0496. It is known that low blood oxygen levels, or hypoxia, can increase red blood cell counts. The elevation in red blood cells, called polycythemia, generally occurs because the body is trying to compensate for low oxygen levels in the blood. Since sleep apnea often causes people to experience repeated lowering of blood oxygen levels during the night, physicians may refer a patient for a sleep study to test for sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is related to health problems such as hypertension, diabetes, stroke and heart disease. There are many others, but these are the most commonly discussed. While the elevated red blood counts you mention can be related to sleep apnea, these counts can also be related to other underlying health conditions. It is important to follow up with your physician to see if your blood counts return to normal after successful treatment of your sleep apnea. I’m happy to hear you have found a nasal pillow that works for you! Best wishes with your continued treatment, and thank you for sharing your experiences on MyApnea.Org. Please keep us posted on your progress!

HI DAN, I do have a question; on the machine it says events per hour. Is that number supposed to come down with use??? Mine seams to fluctuate every night, but its usually pretty high. I finally have an appt. with a DR in November and was told by my cardiologist that I have to go to a specialist at the CLEVELAND CLINIC, my heart is still in A-FLUTTER, so the "mask" hasn't helped, YET??? Have a GREAT WEEKEND, PICKLE

DanM
+1 point
·
about 4 years
ago
Original Poster
Sleep
Enthusiast
Support Team

Hi @pickle330. Events per hour reported by the machine can fluctuate, but the hope is that treatment will help keep the number of events lower than what you would experience without treatment. Each person's experience will be different, as severity and complexity of sleep apnea can vary greatly between individuals. Hopefully, your sleep doctor will review the data at your appointment. I would encourage you to take your machine and mask with you to that appointment. If taking the entire machine is not possible, at least try and take your data card or have your home care company send your doctor a compliance/therapy report. Treatment of your sleep apnea might not necessarily cure your heart issue, but it can help to reduce the stress on your heart. This is true of other illnesses as well. For example, CPAP can lower blood pressure, but it might still be necessary to take medication for hypertension. Thanks, and hope you had a great weekend as well!

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